Closure opener with slidably adjustable gripper



Sept. 13, 1955 w, J, c om 2,717,526

CLOSURE OPENER WITH SLIDABLY ADJUSTABLE GRIPPER FiledOOh. 26, 1953 Fig. 2 32 William J. Cronin IN VEN TOR.

BY WW 5m United States Patent 2,717,526 CLOSURE (PPENER WITH SLIDABLY ADJUSTABLE GRIPPER William I. Cronin, Point Lookout, N. Y.

Application October 26, 1953, Serial No. 383,166

1 Claim. (Ci. s1-3.44

This invention relates generally to kitchen tools and pertains more particularly to an improved form of closure opener.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved form of closure opener having its parts so constructed and arranged as to be capable of performing a variety of diversified closure opening processes.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved form of closure opener which includes a blade member and a handle member pivotally and rotatably interconnected, and a combined cutting and gripping element slidably received on a portion of the handle member and cooperable therewith and with the blade member for removing jar tops and the like, as well as removing tops of cans.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the improved tool;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view showing a portion of the tool and illustrating the manner of interconnection between the blade and handle members;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tool in use for removing a jar top; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the tool as utilized in removing the top of a can.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral indicates generally what may be termed the blade portion of the tool, which includes an upper end portion 12 and a lower end portion 14 which are disposed substantially at right angles to each other and which are joined by a curved intermediate portion 16, the purpose of which will be presently apparent.

The free end of the lower end portion 14 terminates in a tapered point 18 deformed angularly with respect to the main body of that portion, and adjacent this point is an up-struck flange or ear element 20, the ear and point cooperating to present a can-puncturing assembly. Likewise, the free end of the upper portion 12 is formed with an arcuately cutaway portion 22, presenting the finger portions 24 and 26 for removing bottle caps and the like. In this manner, the maximum of usefulness is derived from the tool assembly.

Adjacent the upper end of the portion 12 is provided an opening 28 through which the shank 30 of the handle member indicated generally by the reference character 32 projects with the hand grip portion 34 extending latterally therefrom and in a direction toward the arcuate intermediate portion 16, in the manner shown. The hand grip may be provided with a recess 36 and a pivot pin member 38 which receives the eye of a cork-screw member 40 such that the cork-screw may be selectively closed within the handle or projected therefrom for use in its intended manner. The shank 30 is of smaller dimensions than the opening 28 inthe blade and is pro vided with a pair of spaced pi n members 42 and 44 over-- lying and engaging opposite sides: of the blade portion 12 to aflix the longitudinal positioning of the shank with respect to the blade portion while at the sametime permitting rotation of the shank within the blade; element. At least that portion of the shank which extends beyond the blade portion 12 in the same direction as the lower portion 14 of the bladeis formed of polygonal cross section except at the forward end thereof as indicated by reference character 45, wherein the shank is of circular cross-section. In this manner, the combined cutting and gripping assembly illustrated generally by the reference character 46 is non-rotatably received on the polygonal portion of the shank but is slidable therealong by virtue of the fact that the cutting blade element 48 is provided with a correspondingly formed polygonal opening 50 receiving the polygonal portion of the shank. When the assembly 46 is moved up to the shank portion 45, the assembly can, of course, be reversed or inverted. The cutting blade 48 presents a cutting edge 52 and a piercing point 54, as will be evident. This blade is secured to an arcuated gripping element 56 on the convex side thereof and in upstanding relation thereto, in the manner shown, the element 54 being arcuated in a direction longitudinal to the shank 30.

As seen most clearly in Figure 3, one position of use for the tool involves cooperation between the gripper blade 54 and the arcuate portion 16 of the blade element 10 such that the inner surfaces of these elements engage at spaced points on the jar top which is indicated by the reference character 58 whereupon the handle 34 is manipulated to increase the grip on the jar top and impart force thereon in a direction to remove the same from the jar.

Obviously, the inner surfaces of both the gripper blade 56 and the arcuate portion 16 of the blade assembly 10 may be provided with ridges, teeth or other friction increasing means to enhance the engagement with the jar top.

The free end of the shank 30 is provided with a tip assembly indicated generally by the reference character 60 which may be of any suitable configuration but which is provided with a piercing portion terminating in a sharp point 62 and the main body of which is inclined slightly from the longitudinal axis of the shank 30 in a direction to the longitudinal axis of the shank 30 and in the same direction generally in which the point 54 of the cutter blade 48 projects with relation to the shank 30. By this construction, the tool may be utilized as illustrated in Figure 4 by simply piercing the center of a can top 64 with the point 62 and sliding the cutter blade along the shank 30 so as to engage near the outer edge of the can top in the manner shown whereupon the assembly is rotated around the can to cut the top away. At the same time, it will be evident that the blade element 10 has been positioned in the depending manner shown either by manipulation of this element itself or rotation of the shank within the blade.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A kitchen tool comprising an elongated blade member having its opposite end portions disposed substantially right angularly, the intermediate portion of said blade positioning between the shank and blade member longi- 9631283 tudinally of the shank, and an element slidably received 970,206 on that portion of the shank projecting beyond said 104365O one end portion in the same direction as the other end 10 2436133 portion of the blade member, said element presenting a gripping surface on one side of the shank.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ferguson July 5, 1910 Forster Sept. 13, 1910 Wesolowski Nov. 5, 1912 White Feb. 17, 1948 

